Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese Almonds
Aflatoxin contamination of nuts is an increasing concern to the consumer’s health. Portugal is a big producer of almonds, but there is no scientific knowledge on the safety of those nuts, in terms of mycotoxins. The aim of this paper was to study the incidence of aflatoxigenic fungi and aflatoxin co...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2012-01-01
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| Series: | The Scientific World Journal |
| Online Access: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/471926 |
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| author | P. Rodrigues A. Venâncio N. Lima |
| author_facet | P. Rodrigues A. Venâncio N. Lima |
| author_sort | P. Rodrigues |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Aflatoxin contamination of nuts is an increasing concern to the consumer’s health. Portugal is a big producer of almonds, but there is no scientific knowledge on the safety of those nuts, in terms of mycotoxins. The aim of this paper was to study the incidence of aflatoxigenic fungi and aflatoxin contamination of 21 samples of Portuguese almonds, and its evolution throughout the various stages of production. All fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi were identified and tested for their aflatoxigenic ability. Almond samples were tested for aflatoxin contamination by HPLC-fluorescence. In total, 352 fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi were isolated from Portuguese almonds: 127 were identified as A. flavus (of which 28% produced aflatoxins B), 196 as typical or atypical A. parasiticus (all producing aflatoxins B and G), and 29 as A. tamarii (all nonaflatoxigenic). Aflatoxins were detected in only one sample at 4.97 μg/kg. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-cde22d0d123d48e99f3c3e1ef6b5b1c5 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1537-744X |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2012-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The Scientific World Journal |
| spelling | doaj-art-cde22d0d123d48e99f3c3e1ef6b5b1c52025-02-03T07:25:28ZengWileyThe Scientific World Journal1537-744X2012-01-01201210.1100/2012/471926471926Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese AlmondsP. Rodrigues0A. Venâncio1N. Lima2CIMO/School of Agriculture of the Polytechnic Institute of Bragança, Campus de Santa Apolónia, 5301-855 Bragança, PortugalCentre for Biological Engineering, Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, PortugalCentre for Biological Engineering, Institute for Biotechnology and Bioengineering, Universidade do Minho, Campus de Gualtar, 4710-057 Braga, PortugalAflatoxin contamination of nuts is an increasing concern to the consumer’s health. Portugal is a big producer of almonds, but there is no scientific knowledge on the safety of those nuts, in terms of mycotoxins. The aim of this paper was to study the incidence of aflatoxigenic fungi and aflatoxin contamination of 21 samples of Portuguese almonds, and its evolution throughout the various stages of production. All fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi were identified and tested for their aflatoxigenic ability. Almond samples were tested for aflatoxin contamination by HPLC-fluorescence. In total, 352 fungi belonging to Aspergillus section Flavi were isolated from Portuguese almonds: 127 were identified as A. flavus (of which 28% produced aflatoxins B), 196 as typical or atypical A. parasiticus (all producing aflatoxins B and G), and 29 as A. tamarii (all nonaflatoxigenic). Aflatoxins were detected in only one sample at 4.97 μg/kg.http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/471926 |
| spellingShingle | P. Rodrigues A. Venâncio N. Lima Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese Almonds The Scientific World Journal |
| title | Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese Almonds |
| title_full | Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese Almonds |
| title_fullStr | Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese Almonds |
| title_full_unstemmed | Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese Almonds |
| title_short | Aflatoxigenic Fungi and Aflatoxins in Portuguese Almonds |
| title_sort | aflatoxigenic fungi and aflatoxins in portuguese almonds |
| url | http://dx.doi.org/10.1100/2012/471926 |
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